1.

Media in North Korea

Media within North Korea - known officially as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea - are
among the most tightly controlled in the world, and fall under the governance of the
Korean Workers Party. The regime bombarded the population with flattering reports about
Kim Jong-Il and his daily agenda, with radio and television reports often leading on Kim’s
guidance visits to industrial, agricultural or military sites, where he was often
photographed and filmed offering advice to local workers or servicemen.

North Korea’s economic hardships or famines are not reported to the domestic audience,
which is instead informed of technological advances as a result of the Leader’s
revolutionary thinking. Radio and TV receivers are pre-tuned to government stations that
pump out a steady

Mobile phone use was banned in 2004, but a service was re-introduced in 2008.
Domestic users are said to be able to access the official Uriminzokkiri web portal via the 3G
mobile phone network. Despite limited access within its borders, North Korea has become
increasingly active on the internet for global users, opening official pages on YouTube,
Twitter, photo-sharing website Flickr and Facebook stream of propaganda. The press and
broadcasters - all of them under direct state control - carry flattering reports about North
Korea’s leader. Economic hardships or natural disasters are not always reported. If they
are, they are framed as a patriotic battle. Ordinary North Koreans caught accessing foreign
broadcasts risk harsh punishments, such as forced labour. The authorities attempt to jam
foreign-based and dissident radio stations. Some North Koreans sidestep these controls by
using smuggled foreign DVDs and videos pre-loaded onto USB sticks. North Korea has a
minimal internet presence. News agency KCNA and the party newspaper Rodong Sinmun
are among a handful of official sites.

Their output is aimed largely at audiences outside North Korea. There is a mobile phone
service, but mobile internet access is severely restricted. Phone smuggling is said to take
place on the border with China, using SIM cards that allow access to Chinese networks.
Access to the global internet is only available among a small section of the ruling elite, and
for foreigners. A closed intranet in urban areas allows access to some domestic websites
and state-approved information. & North Koreans can still be sent to a concentration camp
for looking at an online media outlet based outside the country, says Reporters Without
Borders. There were about 20,000 internet users in July 2022, comprising just 0.1% of the
population - the lowest figure for internet penetration anywhere.
2. USA MEDIA

US news organisations have faced another wave of layoffs and downsizing. Tentative evidence
suggests that both news interest and news trust are rebounding in the US after significant drops
last year. According to the State of Local News 2022 report from Northwestern University,
more than 360 newspapers closed in the US between late 2019 and May 2022, and all but 24
were weekly newspapers serving small to mid-size communities. CNN has announced layoffs
affecting hundreds of employees, as well as the end of live programming on HLN, CNN’s sister
channel. National Public Radio cut 10% of its staff and discontinued production on four popular
podcasts in an effort to address a $30m budget deficit. Vox Media, SB Nation, New York
Magazine, Vulture, and NowThis, laid off 7% of its workforce in December 2022, a total of about
130 jobs. And then, in April 2023, BuzzFeed closed its entire news division, citing lack of support
from big platforms, marking the end of an era for a model of digital- born journalism that had
once attracted significant investor backing for its promises to upend the industry.

Amid falling ratings, cable TV news is looking to reposition itself after the controversy-fueled
highs of the Trump years. Meanwhile, unionisation efforts remain a notable trend in US
newsrooms, from local newspapers to national magazines to TV stations to digital natives. Pew
Research reported in August 2022 that one in six US journalists is a union member and more
suggested they would join a union if it were available. Interest and membership in unions is
more prevalent among younger journalists (ages 18–29) as well as among women and
journalists of colour. The news industry has also seen many bright spots. Although pageviews
and unique visitors for local newspaper sites fell 20% in 2022, subscriptions rose among small,
medium, and large newspapers.

Data showed increases in subscriptions from September 2021 to August 2022 for eight large
metropolitan daily newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Boston Globe, and
the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The New York Times also continues to see digital growth.

Journalists and researchers continue to debate the challenges and opportunities of AI for
journalism, with BuzzFeed’s lifestyle verticals using it to create travel guides and quizzes – and
Bloomberg launching its own GPT tool. Tech news outlet CNET published corrections on a series
of AI-generated stories after Futurism.com pointed out errors.

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4. PARACHUTE JOURNALISM ADVANTAGE & DISADVANTAGE

Parachute journalism refers to the practice of briefly dispatching journalists to cover a news
story far from their home base. For example, this might involve sending a journalist who
regularly works out of New York into Venezuela to cover a political uprising, and then extracting
them back to New York in a few days’ time.

ADVANTAGES :
Parachuting journalists in typically entails far lower costs as it does not require the outlet to pay
for a permanent office, support staff, an apartment, and allowances for spouses and children. In
light of financial constraints, parachute journalism has served as something of a replacement
for a dwindling corp of full-time, bureau-based foreign correspondents. This allows for at least
some news coverage where there otherwise might be none.

The chief benefit is that it at least allows for some form of eyewitness journalism by
professional journalists during a time of cutbacks to full-time, bureau-based foreign
correspondents and to international news coverage more broadly. For example, journalistic
outlets in small and midsized markets can no longer afford to spend a quarter of a million
dollars per year permanently stationing a foreign correspondent abroad. However, they can
afford to fly a reporter (and production team, in the case of television) abroad to report on a
few stories that are significant to their community but might not receive adequate coverage
from global news agencies.

Parachute journalism is typically associated with general assignment reporters — that is,
reporters who do not specialize in a particular beat or topic — it can involve parachuting in
subject experts

DISADVANTAGES:
The broader implication of this is that parachute journalism can result in shallow stories that
focus on episodes rather than themes. Put another way, it can result in decontextualized
coverage that is driven more by incidents than by a broader trend. In addition to an increased
likelihood for making journalistic errors, critics also content that parachute journalism can
promote stereotypical and ethnocentric versions of events that present international affairs as
‘exotic’ things, promote ‘otherness,’ or focuses on clashes of cultures and an ‘us’ versus ‘them’

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framework. Furthermore, the journalists’ lack of cultural understanding can result in the
omission of nuance and important contradictions. Lastly, parachute journalists may feel less
pressure to consider the impact of their reporting or to correct their mistakes, as they will
typically quickly move on to another place after they have finished their reporting assignment.

Scholars have found that parachute journalists tend to rely more on government sources and
social elites since they are more readily available and such journalists have not had the time to
establish a more diverse sourcing network. The consequence is that such accounts tend to
reflect the perspectives of those in power — and, in some instances, result in the recirculation
of propaganda. Moreover, scholars have found that stories by parachute journalists tend to
offer less context and are more likely to mischaracterize events and misreport details while
disproportionately making use of shallower, conflict-oriented news frames.

CONCLUSION - Parachute journalism has become a significant and growing aspect of

international journalism. While the practice has evolved largely as a response to financial
constraints, it has not fully substituted the value of full-time, bureau-based foreign
correspondents.

5. BBC

In the age of digital media, BBC News, like other news organizations, faces challenges in
combating disinformation and misinformation online. Despite efforts to verify sources and fact-
check content, false information can still spread rapidly through social media and other
channels, potentially undermining the credibility of BBC News reporting

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While the BBC aims to present diverse perspectives, there may be limitations in the range of
voices and viewpoints represented in its coverage, especially from marginalized or
underrepresented communities in third-world countries. This can lead to gaps in understanding
and representation.

6. CNN

CNN is known for its rapid and extensive coverage of breaking news events and investigative
reporting. Its investigative journalism team has produced in-depth reports on topics such as
corruption, human rights abuses, and environmental issues. It delivers news content through
various multimedia platforms, including television, online, mobile apps, and social media.

While CNN positions itself as a nonpartisan news source, some of its programming features
partisan commentary and opinion. Critics argue that this blurs the line between news and
opinion, potentially undermining the network's credibility as an impartial news source.

7. AFP

Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquarteredin Paris,

France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.

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In 1982, the agency began to decentralize its editorial decision-making by setting up the first of
its five autonomous regional centres. Each region has its own budget, administrative director
and chief editor.

In November 2013, AFP and Getty Images were ordered to pay $1.2 million compensation to
freelance photojournalist Daniel Morel for using his images posted on Twitter related to the
2010 Haiti earthquake without his permission, in violation of copyright and Twitter's terms of
service.

Besides having contracts with AP, Reuters, and ITAR-TASS for exchange of news reports, it sells
a domestic French news report to most of the world’s news agencies and provides its
worldwide report to many of them. AFP also has a photo service and a number of specialized
news reports, several concerned with African matters.

8. Global audience's changing needs

News consumption behaviours have changed across different kinds of audiences, different age
groups and generations. Individuals from all across the globe expect content on demand and
prefers bite sized digital content. Audiences demand diverse viewpoints and representation in
news coverage. They seek out sources that reflect their own identities and experiences, as well
as those that provide a range of perspectives on global events.

All those factors and circumstances pushed news outlets and media experts to keep up with the
happening switch, not just to attract more audience but also to retain the existing ones, making
sure they are well informed and entertained.

The BBC for instance is one of the leading news agencies in fulfilling audience needs, reaching
broader number of people across the world and outside the UK and accomplishing new success
stories everyday. The most recent success story currently on the surface is that BBC news
audience are hitting 500m this year which was a target put ahead.

9. BBC CNN rivalry

CNN is a United States private television news company owned by the Time Warner company
while BBC is the British state broadcaster. Both the news networks have international
audiences and offer services in a range of languages.

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CNN takes a left-liberal standpoint by American standards and do use sensational headlines.
They may be more sympathetic to the Democrats but avoid delving into fake news unlike Fox
News. The BBC is the British public service broadcaster and take some a moderate liberal
standpoint. The BBC has had a long tradition of being a reputable news source though they
rarely take a stance critical of the UK government.

CNN tends to be most interested in being the voice of International US news. It has many
exclusives of US government action abroad, although in today’s world of wider news coverage,
it tends to focus on war zones. While, BBC pushes a liberal metrosexual viewpoint with more
overt policy support for EU than it would have for the UK government. This helps to give it the
perception of impartial news, and a sense of authority beyond its status.

Both demonised China or any nation that refuse to be submissive and subservient to the west
in bias one sided propaganda and narrative to the point of being a mouth piece of the western
imperialism.

10. Al jazeera

Qatar's state-owned Al Jazeera is an Arabic-language international radio and television

broadcaster. It is run by the media giant Al Jazeera Media Network and has its headquarters in
Doha. Al Jazeera is the network's signature station and its flagship. According to Qatari
legislation, the patent holding is a "private foundation for public benefit.”

Some organizations, as well as countries like Saudi Arabia, have criticized the channel for airing
"Qatari propaganda.”

Al Jazeera and the 2011 Arab Spring

Al Jazeera covered the Arab spring more than any other news outlets and had a significant role
in spreading the Arab uprising. People in the Middle East have heavily relied on Al Jazeera to
obtain news about their regions and the world.

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The news of unrest in the Arab states was broadcast by Al Jazeera in Arabic for the Arab world
as well as in English for the audiences from the rest of the world. In Tunisia, the Ben Ali regime
banned Al Jazeera from operating in the country, but with the help of Facebook users inside
Tunisia, Al Jazeera was able to access reports from the events such as protests and government
crackdowns that were taking place inside the country. The intensive media coverage of people's
uprising against their leaders by Al Jazeera mobilized more people from other parts of the
country as well as globally to join the revolution.

As a voice

Al Jazeera is one voice of many. It competes with a crescendo of other information partisans
who seek to influence today’s vision and tomorrow’s journey. This competition of ideas
demands the freedom that is untempered speech … if it is to work, and work well.

Al Jazeera is often considered an alternative voice to Western media due to its coverage of
issues from a perspective that differs from mainstream Western outlets. In Saudi Arabia, Al
Jazeera has provided extensive coverage of human rights issues, including the treatment of
women and the migrant labor force. In Bahrain, the network has covered protests and
government crackdowns, shedding light on political unrest and calls for reform. Regarding
Egypt, Al Jazeera's coverage has included reporting on political turmoil, such as the Arab Spring
protests and subsequent events, offering viewpoints often not seen in Western media. Overall,
Al Jazeera's coverage in these countries has often provided perspectives and narratives not
commonly found in Western media outlets, contributing to its reputation as an alternate voice.

Al Jazeera is a much-needed voice and a welcome space for the freedom of voices in agreement
and opposition.

11.Advocacy journalism and how advocacy journalism affects public opinion

Advocacy journalism is a genre of journalism that adopts a non-objective viewpoint, usually for
some social or political purpose. Some advocacy journalists reject the idea that the traditional
ideal of objectivity is possible or practical, in part due to the perceived influence of corporate
sponsors in advertising.

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Some critics argue that Advocate journalists do not necessarily dismiss objectivity—although
some do—and insist they adhere to professional standards nonetheless, since they still do
journalism rather than propaganda.

The ability to present information neutrally, address confirmation bias, provide a platform for
diverse voices, and navigate the ethical dilemmas inherent in advocacy journalism are all critical
factors that determine the impact news channels have on shaping the public's perspective.

12. Challenges faced by journalists in hostile environment

Working as a journalist or reporter in a hostile environment presents numerous challenges that

can significantly impact the safety, well-being, and effectiveness of media professionals.

1. Physical Threats and Violence: One of the most prevalent challenges faced by journalists in
hostile environments is the constant risk of physical threats and violence. Journalists may
encounter armed conflicts, civil unrest, or even targeted attacks due to their reporting.

2. Intimidation and Harassment:Journalists often face intimidation and harassment from

various actors, including government officials, criminal organizations, or individuals with vested
interests. These acts can range from verbal abuse and threats to surveillance and interference
in their work.

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3. Legal and Regulatory Restrictions: Hostile environments are often accompanied by restrictive
legal and regulatory frameworks that impede press freedom and limit journalists' ability to
report independently.

Other callenges like Online harassment, monitoring of their digital communications, restrictions
to the access of information, Journalists operating in hostile environments may encounter that
can hinder their ability to report freely and safely.

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